The UN Security Council held a meeting at its New York headquarters on Friday to discuss North Korea's human rights situation.

The meeting was held after a nine to five vote. Countries that voted for the session were the U.S., Britain, France, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain, Ukraine and Uruguay. Those opposed were China, Russia, Venezuela, Egypt and Angola, while Senegal abstained.

Friday's meeting marked the third consecutive year for the UNSC to discuss the North's human rights issue as an official agenda item.

During the session, member nations condemned the human rights abuses in North Korea and called for improvement.

This year, participants also raised concern on the rights violations possibly suffered by South Koreans abducted by the North as well as North Korean laborers working abroad.

They also emphasized that Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development is not separate from the human rights issue. 

Through a statement, Seoul's foreign ministry welcomed the UNSC's meeting on the North's human rights abuses.

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